News Broadcasting
‘Everyone Wins’ may be the next big gameshow
While in India, channels seem to be on the lookout for the next Kaun Banega Crorepati(the licenced version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire), here’s an Asian show format that’s being exported globally. Everyone Wins, a show created by Singapore-based media baron Robert Chua, is being pushed into global markets outside Asia by UK distributor Action Time. Chua is slated to promote the product at MIPTV 2002 (Cannes, 15 to 19 April).
The founder & chairman of China Entertainment Television, created the show under his own banner Robert Chua Productions. Everyone Wins is slated to make its debut very soon on Singapore’s MediaWorks channel.
In Everyone Wins contestants scores are kept secret but if opponents can see through each others bluff they can swap scores. The quicker the answer, the higher the score. The winner with the highest score goes home with US$ 130,000; in the process viewers can also pocket cash by matching a lucky number made of the last digit of each contestants score with anything from their credit card to their license plates numbers. This feature makes the quiz a highly interactive property allowing for viewer participation without the need of set-top boxes.
The format was originally produced by Chuas 28-year old production company Robert Chua Production House. Everyone Wins will air within weeks in Singapore where Chua has signed a production agreement with MediaWorks, and in July on Hong Kongs TVB. Production negotiations are currently under way in Thailand, Malaysia and China, a company release says.
Chua was trained a television producer in Australia in the early 60s and has been a leading figure in the Asian television industry for nearly 40 years. In 1967, he created TVBs Enjoy Yourself Tonight variety show which was televised live nightly and broadcast for almost 30 years.
Chuas company, Robert Chua Production House pioneered the first privately owned satellite TV channel China Entertainment Television Broadcast (CETV) in 1994. It was also the first media company in the world to establish official working relations within China in 1979.
News Broadcasting
Network18 Q4 revenue grows 9.7 per cent, EBITDA at Rs 30 crore
PAT improves to Rs 306.6 crore, margins steady amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: Not all news is breaking, some of it is quietly improving. Network18 Media & Investments Limited appears to be doing just that, tightening losses and stabilising margins even as costs continue to weigh on the business. For FY26, the company reported revenue from operations of Rs 1,955.1 crore, up from Rs 1,896.2 crore in FY25, signalling modest top-line growth in a challenging media environment. Total income stood at Rs 1,978.2 crore, compared to Rs 1,913 crore a year earlier.
Profit after tax came in at Rs 306.6 crore for the year, a sharp turnaround from Rs 3,225.4 crore in FY25, largely reflecting the absence of large exceptional items that had inflated the previous year’s numbers. On a more comparable basis, the company’s operating performance showed signs of gradual stabilisation.
However, the quarterly picture remained under pressure. For the March quarter, Network18 reported a loss of Rs 53.1 crore, narrower than the Rs 98.1 crore loss in the same period last year, but still indicative of ongoing cost challenges.
Expenses continued to track high. Total expenses for FY26 stood at Rs 2,235.7 crore, up from Rs 2,197.8 crore in FY25. Key cost heads included operational expenses of Rs 765.9 crore, employee benefits of Rs 475.9 crore, and marketing, distribution and promotional spends of Rs 427.1 crore, underlining the continued investment required to sustain reach and engagement.
At an operating level, margins remained under strain. Operating margin stood at 2.33 per cent for FY26, marginally higher than 1.77 per cent in FY25, while net profit margin remained negative at -13.02 per cent, though improved from -14.89 per cent.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 8,957.6 crore as of 31 March 2026, from Rs 8,317.5 crore a year earlier. Equity strengthened to Rs 4,958.7 crore, while borrowings increased to Rs 3,112.8 crore, reflecting a higher reliance on debt to support operations.
Cash flows told a mixed story. While financing activities generated Rs 83.9 crore, operating cash flow remained negative at Rs -24 crore, highlighting ongoing pressure on core cash generation. Cash and cash equivalents, however, improved to Rs 33.9 crore from Rs 1.8 crore.
The numbers point to a company in transition growing revenues, trimming losses, but still grappling with structural cost pressures. In a sector where scale often comes at a price, Network18 seems to be inching towards balance, one quarter at a time.
